Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 2.djvu/46

38 STRABO. CASATJB. 361. Arene ; on the left hand it has Thyria and Pherag. It is the largest (in width) of the rivers within the isthmus, although its course from its springs does not exceed 100 stadia in length ; it has an abundant supply of water, and traverses the Messenian plain, and the district called Macaria. 1 It is dis- tant from the present city of the Messenians 50 stadia. 2 There is also another Pamisus, a small torrent stream, running near Leuctrum of Laconia, which was a subject of dispute between the Messenians and Lacedemonians in the time of Philip. I have before said that some persons called the Pamisus, Amathus. 3 7. Ephorus relates that Cresphontes, after he had taken Mes- sene, divided it into five cities, and chose Stenyclarus, situated in the middle of this district, to be the royal seat of his king- dom. To the other cities, Pylus, Rhium, (Mesola,) and Hyameitis, he appointed kings, and put all the Messenians on an equal footing with the Dorians as to rights and privileges. The Dorians, however, taking offence, he changed his inten- tion, and determined that Stenyclarus alone should have the rank of a city, and here he assembled all the Dorians. 8. The city of the Messenians 4 resembles Corinth, for above each city is a lofty and precipitous mountain, enclosed by a common wall in such a manner as to be used as an acropolis ; the Messenian mountain is Ithome, 5 that near Corinth is Acrocorhithus. Demetrius of Pharos seemed to have coun- selled Philip the son of Demetrius well, when he advised him to make himself master of both cities, if he desired to get possession of Peloponnesus ; " for," said he, " when you have seized both horns, the cow will be your own ;" meaning, by the horns, Ithome and Acrocorinthus, and, by the cow, Pelo- ponnesus. It was no doubt their convenient situation which made these cities subjects of contention. The Romans there- fore razed Corinth, and again rebuilt it. The Lacedaemonians 1 So called from its fertility. 2 In the text 250, ov, an error probably arising from the repetition of the preceding final letter. 3 The Pamisus above mentioned was never called the Amathus. There were three rivers of this name, one near the Triphyliac Pylus, which was also called Amathus ; a second at Leuctrum of Laconia ; and a third near Messene. 4 Th% ruins of Messene are now near the place called Mauromathia. 5 Mount Vulkano.